Love Left Behind (4 page)

"So, Emma
Mills," Jackson said, leaning back in his chair. "Tell me about
yourself."

"Well, you already
know I don't smoke, I suck at ballet and I practice voodoo on the side. What
more could you possibly want to know about me?"

Jackson laughed, the
vibrations of his chuckles sending excited shivers down my spine. I could
imagine that low laugh in a different setting. A dark seductive setting that
included a bed.

I cleared my throat,
trying to chase those thoughts away.

"How long have you
been a trainer?" I asked, congratulating myself for my steady voice.

Maggie came over with
the fresh round and Jackson thanked her before answering.

"Just a couple of
years. I fell into it because I had a lot of free time since my acting jobs
were so sporadic. I spent a lot of it working out at Peak Fitness, a gym around
here. They were looking for more trainers and they approached me. I just had to
take a few classes and pass an exam to be certified, and there you have it. I
was a trainer."

"Well, you
do
look like you're in a good
shape," I said, giving his body an appreciative glance. I laughed a little
self-consciously at my bold once-over. "Of course, that's purely from an
objective viewpoint of someone who's assessing your trainer skills."

"Of course,"
Jackson agreed with a smile. "You should stop by the gym sometime. I can
give you some free trial sessions."

I groaned. "Me and
working out do
not
gel. I always
wished I was one of those people who actually enjoyed working out, but sadly,
exercising is akin to physical torture for me."

Jackson grinned.
"Maybe you just haven't had the right trainer. I can make exercising lots
of fun." He glanced down at me, in much the same way I had given him the
once-over. I flushed at his perusal. "Although I'd say there's not much to
improve on."

I burst out laughing.
"You really are a good actor. I'm not sure whether to be flattered or
suspicious. If this is your tactic for getting new clients, you must be an
awfully popular trainer."

"Come see for
yourself. Peak Fitness is just over on 2nd Avenue between 12th and 13th Street.
I work most weekday evenings except Friday, and some Saturday and Sunday
afternoons."

Jackson pulled his cell
phone from his pocket. "Give me your number. I can text you my
schedule."

"Um, okay," I
said, unsure whether Jackson was being friendly or if he was interested in me.
Although I had told myself that I wasn't looking for a relationship right now,
I wasn't dumb enough to pass on someone like Jackson. He was funny and
gorgeous. You didn't meet funny and gorgeous guys who took an interest in you
every day. Besides, who said it had to be something serious? I had just come
out of a ten-year relationship. This could just be something fun.

Besides, maybe he
was
just being friendly. I didn't want
to embarrass myself by protesting when all he wanted to be was my friend. Or my
new trainer.

After Jackson
programmed my number into his phone, he started reciting his. I quickly fumbled
for my phone in my purse to enter his number.

"R-e-y-n-a-r-d."

"What?" I had
no idea why Jackson was spelling.

"My last name. To
put in your phone."

I laughed. "Are
you always this forward with giving out your phone number?"

Jackson grinned.
"I'm always available for my clients. That's how dedicated I am to my
job."

Before I could answer,
Claire, Nathan and Mia filed back in. I saw Claire give Jackson and I an
assessing look, and I had to squelch the compulsion to quickly stuff my cell
phone back into my purse. It hadn't seemed as though there was anything going
on between Claire and Jackson, but I made a mental note to ask her about it later.
The last thing I wanted to do was tread on her territory.

Nathan took a long swig
of the fresh beer Maggie had set down on the table while they were gone.

"So what have you
two been talking about?" Claire asked as she took a more delicate sip of
her own beer.

"Jackson was
telling me about being a trainer," I replied. "Actually, he was
trying to convince me to become one of his clients. He doesn't realize that my
definition of working out is pressing the buttons on a TV remote."

Mia laughed.
"Jackson is in high demand as a trainer. You should see the gaggle of
women that gawk at him while he's working out."

"Now, Mia,"
Jackson lectured playfully. "You're going to give Emma the wrong idea. I'm
a dedicated trainer that would never take advantage of potential clients."

"Riiight,"
Mia said sarcastically. "And I actually think that fuchsia is a color that
works on everyone. That's at least what I tell everyone when they come to my
make-up counter."

"Jackson
is
a really good trainer," Claire
said. "If you're going to hire a trainer, he's a good choice. He's helped
me a lot with strengthening and elongating my muscles."

Maybe I had just
imagined Claire's earlier look. She didn't seem perturbed at all by the thought
of Jackson being my trainer.

"Hold on," I
said. "I'm not planning on getting a trainer. I'm not even planning on
joining a gym. Not anytime soon, at least. I have to work on getting a paycheck
before I start spending it, even if it's for an amazing trainer with clients
chasing after him."

Jackson gave me a
dazzling smile. I started to question whether the second beer was a good idea.
I felt a little woozy looking at Jackson's smile and I was sure the alcohol had
something to do with it.

"Remember, the
first few sessions are free, and I can get you a free trial membership at the
gym for a couple of weeks."

"We'll see,"
I replied with a noncommittal smile. I checked my watch and frowned at the
time. As much as I had enjoyed meeting Claire's friends, my first day of work
was looming over me and I hadn't unpacked. The last thing I wanted was to be
unprepared for tomorrow.

"I should get
going. I haven't unpacked and I want to obsess a little more about my first day
of work tomorrow."

"I'll go with
you," Claire said. "I'm exhausted."

I reached for my purse
to get money for my beers when Jackson stopped me.

"Don't worry about
it," he said with an easy smile. "The least I can do is buy you a
couple of beers as a welcome-to-town gesture."

"Are you
sure?" I asked hesitatingly. I wasn't sure how comfortable I felt with someone
I had just met picking up my tab.

"Of course,"
Jackson said. He glanced at Claire, quirking his mouth. "You too, of
course."

"Thanks,
Jackson," Claire said breezily.

"It was nice
meeting you, Emma," Mia chirped. "I'm sure we'll be hanging out a
lot, now that you're in town."

"Thanks, it was
nice meeting you all too," I replied with a smile. I felt lucky that not
only did I have a friend in Claire, but it also seemed that she was willing to
take me into her circle. I glanced at Jackson. "Thanks again for the
beers."

"No problem,"
he replied.

"See ya,
Ems," Nathan said with a smile. "Don't forget my art show next
week."

"I can't
wait."

It was already dark
when Claire and I stepped outside, but it was still warm.

"Thanks for
introducing me to your friends," I said as we started walking the few
blocks home.

"Of course,"
Claire replied easily. "I know how hard it can be to move to a new town
not knowing anyone. I was lucky because I met Jackson in an acting class the
first month I moved here and he introduced me to Nathan and Mia. We've all been
friends ever since."

I took the opening,
wanting to make sure that I wasn't stepping on any toes.

"Is there anything
between you and Jackson?" I asked, flushing a little at my question.

Claire gave me a
mischievous grin. "Why do you ask?"

I flushed deeper and
gave an awkward laugh. "Just wondering. He was probably just being
friendly, but he seemed a little flirty and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't
overstepping any boundaries."

Claire laughed.
"Don't worry. Jackson and I went out on a few dates when we first met, but
that was three years ago. We found out that we were better off as
friends."

I felt relief at her
answer. I hadn't realized how worried I had been that there was something
between them.

"So feel free to
pursue away," Claire continued.

"Oh, I'm not
saying I want to pursue him," I said hastily. "I just wanted to make
sure I wasn't stepping on any toes. It was just innocent flirting."

"Okay," she
replied in a tone that said she didn't believe me. "But if Jackson shows
interest in you, I wouldn't dismiss it. He's a great catch."

I nodded but didn't say
anything else. I was too busy wondering if the new Emma Mills was going to have
her first fling.

Chapter
Two

Figuring out the subway
system the next day was a lot easier than I had thought. As promised, Claire
had spent some time going over the map with me when we got home from Max's
Tavern and I was able to navigate it with much more confidence than I had
anticipated.

Nervous that I would be
late on my first day, I left much earlier than necessary and arrived at work an
hour early. Sitting in a Starbucks down the street and feeling jittery, I
wished I hadn't left so early.

I checked my watch and
saw that I had ten more minutes left to wait so that I would arrive at work
fifteen minutes early. I figured fifteen minutes said I was responsible but not
overeager. My boss didn't need to know that I had been waiting at Starbucks for
over half an hour.

I took another sip of
my coffee and checked my outfit to make sure that nothing was awry. I had
dressed in what I thought looked professional, yet trendy. My slim black pants
and black heels made my legs look longer than they were. I had paired it with a
crisp white oxford shirt and a wide grey belt that I hoped accentuated my
narrow waist. I had fought to smooth down my hair, since it wanted to go in all
different directions due to the humidity.

I drained the last of
the coffee and checked my watch for the millionth time, relieved to see that it
was time to go. I threw away my coffee cup and straightened my shirt, taking in
a deep breath. I just hoped I liked my boss.

After making the short
walk to my building and checking in with security, I went up the elevator to
the twelfth floor, where my boss' office was located. Mass Communications was a
large marketing firm and occupied floors eight through fifteen in the building.

The elevators opened
with a ding and I excused myself, wending a path through the crowd in the
elevator. There seemed to be a crowd everywhere I went in New York. From the
subways to the streets to the elevators, it was going to take some time to get
used to people being everywhere.

"Excuse me,"
I said to the smiling receptionist. "I'm Emma Mills. Today is my first day
as Janet Lerner's assistant."

"Of course,"
she said. "Have a seat. I'll let Janet know that you're here."

I took a seat in one of
the plush chairs in the waiting area, picking up a magazine but flipping
through it unseeingly. It was something to do, but I was far too nervous to
actually read the pages.

After about ten
minutes, I saw a woman striding towards me. I had never met Janet Lerner in
person because my interview had been over the phone, but I assumed it was her.
I had been surprised when she hired me over the phone without meeting me in
person, but she had told me that she could tell I was a good fit for the job.
She had also been impressed with my resume, since I had managed a heavy client
load at my last agency.

I stood up to greet her
and she shook my hand with a firm grip.

"Emma!" she
exclaimed. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"You too,
Janet," I replied with a smile. Janet seemed as warm and friendly in
person as she had on the phone. "I'm excited to get started."

"Follow me,"
she said as she started walking down the hallway towards the offices. Mass
Communications was a global marketing firm and it showed. The impeccably
decorated offices spoke of its success. Janet strode down the hallway
confidently. She was a director in the company even though she was only in her
early thirties, which was impressive in such a prestigious firm. Janet was
attractive in an efficient and practical way, her light brown hair cut
fashionably to her chin and her clothes perfectly tailored. Her make-up was
expertly applied to enhance her large blue eyes and high cheekbones.

"It can be a bit
of a maze around here but you'll get used to it," Janet continued as she
made various turns in the hallway and I walked quickly to keep up with her.
Everyone seemed to walk so fast in New York. It was another thing I would have
to get used to.

She finally stopped at
a cluster of cubicles and pointed to one. "Here's your desk. Go ahead and
get yourself settled. We'll sit down and go over your duties in a bit and I'll
give you a tour of the office later."

"Okay," I
said, still a little dazed. "Is there anything you need me to do right
now?"

Janet laughed.
"There's plenty, but I don't want to throw everything at you at once. I
know the first day can be a little overwhelming. Just relax and settle into
your cubicle for now."

With that she was gone,
going into her office right outside my cubicle but leaving the door open.

I sat down at my desk,
surveying my cubicle. It was bare except for a computer, phone and a few office
supplies. I opened a bottom drawer and stuck my purse inside. I hadn't brought
any personal things with me to the office. No pictures and no knickknacks. I
wasn't a knickknack person and I didn't know whose picture I would set on my
desk. I guess I could have brought a picture of my parents, but that seemed a
little juvenile.